Malik admn seeks EC nod for filling in six seats in JK Legislative Council

Reservation rules amended to benefit 3.5 lakh border residents

'Boycotting Panchayat, Municipal elections may cost NC, PDP dearly "

JAMMU: Even while the Legislative Assembly remains dissolved with no practical deadline for fresh polls, the Governor Satya Pal Malik’s administration today indicated that it was inclined to go for filling in six vacant seats to the Legislative Council, a process that is bound to see heightened political activity.

A bicameral House, the Jammu and Kashmir legislature has the provision of filling in six of total 36 seats in the Legislative Council through an electoral college comprising members of village panchayats and urban municipal bodies. Elections to municipal bodies and village panchayats were held last year and now an electoral college is in place to fill in six vacancies to the Legislative Council.

The State Administrative Council of Governor Malik today approved taking up the matter with the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the proposal for holding of elections to the six (6) vacant seats in the J&K Legislative Council. There are two vacancies earmarked for Municipalities and four vacancies earmarked for Panchayats to be filled by the electorate of Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats.

Once the EC gives it nod to the elections, this will pose another challenge to the already embattled regional parties, National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, as they didn’t participate in the municipal and panchayat elections.

Meanwhile, in another decision, the SAC approved the draft amendments in the “Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act-2014” for extending the benefits of reservation to persons residing in the areas along the International Border (IB).

International Border (IB) covers a population of around 3 lakhs spread over 350 villages in Jammu Division.

The amendment shall meet the long-standing demand of the people residing in the areas adjoining International Border for their overall socio-economic and educational development. The said demand was examined in consultation with J&K State Commission for Backward Classes and it was felt that persons residing in the areas adjoining IB are similarly situated as the persons residing in the areas adjoining Actual Line of Control (ALC), so far as their socio-economic backwardness is concerned and thereby qualify for inclusion within the ambit of reservation at par with persons living in areas adjoining Line of Actual Control. However, as per the recommendations of the J&K State Commission for Backward Classes, the areas falling within 6 Km from the IB shall be covered within the meaning of reservation. List of such villages shall be notified while framing rules once the Ordinance is promulgated.

As per the existing reservation rules, 3 % reservation is admissible to people residing on LoC in direct recruitment. Reservation of 3% is also available to the people residing on Actual Line of Control (ALC) in professional institutions.

With this amendment, ALC and IB will be considered as one category for purposes of seeking reservation in direct recruitment and in promotions. This will benefit a large number of people residing in the areas adjoining IB to reap the benefits of reservation like other categories.

Following the approval of the proposal by SAC today, the Social Welfare Department will process the draft amendment for further consideration of the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs for promulgation of the Ordinance by the Competent Authority.